What Really Happened to Rick Lagina From The Curse of Oak Island

In February 2013, brothers Rick and Marty Lagina traveled from Michigan to an island in the North Atlantic.
The mystery of Oak Island has fascinated millions of people for over two centuries.

200 years ago, some kids found an interesting spot up on Oak Island, offshore Nova Scotia.
They dug; when they found some stones laid in, they found some planks.

And among them, there is one person who devoted his entire life to pursuing this dream: Rick Lagina.
I still remember the first time I watched The Curse of Oak Island.
I was immediately captivated. Somewhere around here… yeah, there it is.

Rick Lagina’s story is not just a treasure hunt but a tragedy of passion, of perseverance to the point of obsession.
And as everything slowly unfolds, people come to realize that the price to pay for this dream is too high.

If you’ve also been drawn into the mysteries of Oak Island like I was, join me as we dive deeper into this emotional story.
For me, the up and down of it is, you know, the days we go out in the field and we think, “Oh surely today is the day,” and you leave at the end of the day and you go, “What happened?”
The price of a dream.

For many years on Oak Island, Rick Lagina has not been alone in his quest.
He had collaborators, companions, and friends who, like him, were drawn into the island’s mystery.

So, Brennon Wear, at 59?
Right, that’s correct, 59.

The reason why this one is interesting: when we drilled the Gale hole Y, we found in the spoils—and among them, none were more significant than Dan Blankenship.

Dan wasn’t just an adventurer but a living monument on Oak Island, a man who had spent over 50 years digging into the island’s earth with unshakable faith.
He spent his fortune, gave up his youth, and endured immense losses—all in pursuit of one thing: the truth.

When Rick Lagina was a boy, he had no idea that somewhere out there, Dan Blankenship was already there wrestling with the same question that Rick would later devote his life to answering.
By the time Rick grew up and embarked on his search, Dan had already become a legend.
And when Rick set foot on the island, he didn’t just find a partner but a mentor—someone who had already gone through the hardships that Rick would face.

But then, in 2019, Dan Blankenship breathed his last at the age of 95—a life, a dream, yet the mystery remains unsolved.
Rick Lagina stood silently before his old friend’s grave, his face solemn.
He did not cry, but never had anyone seen him so deeply saddened—not because Dan was gone but because Dan left without the answers still buried under the earth.

“What do we got?”
“I think we’ve opened up a wooden Pandora’s Box here. I mean, look at all these timbers—all different sizes and shapes.”

At that moment, for the first time in his life, Rick Lagina truly grasped the limitations of time.
Dan had devoted his life to Oak Island but passed away with a mystery still unresolved.
Rick realized that time does not wait for anyone, and if he didn’t hurry, his lifelong dream might remain buried in the past.
He knew one day he too would face the same fate.

Not just an emotional loss, Rick Lagina also faced physical deterioration.
Years spent trudging through mud, enduring the freezing cold of Canadian winters, breathing in the damp air of underground tunnels—all of this left its mark on his body.

In 2021, Rick Lagina suffered from a severe infection.
The illness came suddenly, like a warning he had never anticipated: time was running out.
The fever raged, and pain continuously tormented him to the point where doctors urged him to stop working immediately.

But how could he stop when every passing day was another day a treasure could be buried deeper, another day the mysteries might be forgotten?
But despite his worries, his body betrayed him.
When he returned to Oak Island, Rick was noticeably weaker than before.
He no longer moved quickly; his steps slower, sometimes needing to stop and catch his breath.

But he never mentioned his illness—not a word of complaint, no sign that he had almost faced death.
He simply kept working because if he stopped, he might never have the chance to come back.

But perhaps the most painful part of Rick Lagina’s life wasn’t the illness or loss but the loneliness.
His younger brother Marty Lagina is a successful businessman with a happy family and children to inherit his legacy.
But Rick has none of that.
He has never married, never had a family.
No one waits for him after long days on Oak Island.
No one holds his hand telling him to stop and rest.

He has sacrificed everything for this dream: his personal relationships, his own dreams, a normal life—all of it was pushed aside.
Some call it sacrifice; others call it obsession.
But whatever you call it, the reality remains: Rick Lagina is racing against time, a race he isn’t sure he can win.
This is the greatest fear Rick Lagina has never admitted.

There are dreams so large they demand a lifetime to pursue.
Rick Lagina chose this path filled with loss, loneliness, and uncertainty about whether he would ever reach the treasure.
But one thing is certain: he has never given up.

But behind this determination lies an untold story—a passion born from his childhood and experiences no one could have predicted.
Could it be that those very experiences have driven Rick to never give up despite the hardships and uncertainty?

Let’s dive deeper into the very moment when the greatest secret of his life began to form: childhood and the mysterious passion.

Rick Lagina was born in 1952 in Kingsford, Michigan, a small town full of big dreams.
Like many other children in the Midwest, Rick’s childhood was spent playing on the fields, enduring cold winters, and enjoying endless summers.
No one could have imagined that a small event at the age of 11 would change his life forever.

One day, while flipping through old magazines, Rick happened to read an article in Reader’s Digest.
The article told the story of a mysterious island off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, where rumors had circulated for centuries about a massive treasure buried deep beneath the earth.

Oak Island, according to legend, was the place where the Knights Templar or even pirates had hidden a treasure that no one had ever found.
The island’s mysteries—the flooded tunnels and the strange symbols carved into the rocks—all seemed to be a challenge for anyone brave enough to uncover the truth.

From that moment, Rick became obsessed.
The 11-year-old boy could not stop thinking about Oak Island.
He ran into the house, held up the magazine, and eagerly told his family about the treasure he believed was buried somewhere underground, waiting to be discovered.

With the excitement of a child, Rick kept asking, “We have to go find this treasure!”
But of course, to the adults and his family, it was just a fanciful story—a childish game that Rick would eventually forget, like many other fleeting interests.

But they were wrong.
From that day on, Rick began devouring everything he could find about Oak Island.
He scoured the town library for materials, drew maps of the island, and took notes on every important detail he gathered.

For the 11-year-old boy, this was no longer just a captivating story in a magazine.
It was a call to destiny.
Rick wasn’t simply curious; he was drawn into the story in a way he couldn’t explain.
When you truly believe in something, you can’t let go—and Rick Lagina is the clearest example of this.

Years passed and the boy grew up.
He became a postal worker, living a simple life, but his passion for Oak Island never faded.
It was no longer just a childhood dream but an obsession that lasted for decades.

No one, not even Rick, could have guessed that one day he would actually set foot on that island and embark on a treasure hunt that would span many years, making the Oak Island dream a reality.

Life often takes unexpected turns, and for Rick Lagina, that turn came from his very own brother, Marty Lagina.
Unlike Rick, Marty is a practical man with a sharp business mind, always putting logic over fanciful dreams.
He believes in numbers, in clear evidence more than stories about hidden treasures or ancient curses.

However, there is one thing he never doubted—that is Rick’s unwavering passion.
For many years, Marty had watched his brother live with an obsession about Oak Island.
Rick never gave up hope, never allowed mockery or doubt to shake his belief.

For most, pursuing a centuries-old mystery with no solid proof seemed like madness.
But for Marty, he saw something else—a dream his brother never had the chance to fulfill.
And Marty knew that if Rick didn’t pursue it, he would live with regret for the rest of his life.

Marty is a successful businessman, having built a large wind energy company with enough resources to help Rick make his dream come true.
But investing in an island with a history of failure was not an easy decision.
Marty wasn’t the type to be swept away by mystical stories, but family loyalty was a powerful motivator.
He didn’t invest in treasure but in his brother who had spent his life believing in this.

So, the two brothers sat down and made a plan.
No longer just idle chatter or childhood dreams, this time they had the power to make it real.
They carefully studied the history of Oak Island, past excavations, and the unsolved mysteries.

In 2006, after years of deliberation, they decided to invest in Oak Island, officially acquiring the excavation rights and becoming a part of its history.

The first time Rick set foot on the island, his heart raced.
He had waited for this moment his entire life.
No longer the 11-year-old boy eagerly reading Reader’s Digest, he was now standing on the land that had haunted him for decades—where countless others before him had come, dug, hoped, and left disappointed.

But Rick was not like them.
He was not here to give up.

The first days on the island were far from easy.
“Where they died?”
“Well, that’s why I was asking Dan—you know, the shaft that the rest died in?”
“Yeah, you know where that is?”

They faced harsh working conditions: groundwater flooding the excavation pits, thick mud hindering machinery, and cold ocean winds making everything harder.
Old excavation signs appeared everywhere—a reminder that dozens of generations had come before them only to leave empty-handed.

But for Rick, none of that mattered compared to the feeling of finally touching his dream.
He stood over a deep excavation pit, eyes locked on the dark earth below, where he believed something more important than treasure was hidden—the truth.

Initial discoveries were just pieces of rotting wood, rusty chains, and strange mark stones.
But every clue, no matter how small, was enough to reignite hope.

Then a major turning point came, not from the earth but from an unexpected source: television.
In 2014, The Curse of Oak Island officially premiered on the History Channel, turning the Lagina brothers’ journey into a global phenomenon—the glory of The Curse of Oak Island.

Since its debut, The Curse of Oak Island has quickly risen to become one of the most captivating reality TV shows globally.
This centuries-long treasure hunt journey not only draws viewers in with unsolved mysteries but also fosters the belief that the truth lies hidden deep underground, waiting to be discovered.

“When we started this pro drilling and we start punching away, yeah, short of an artifact recovery—gold, silver—the most important relevance of this shaft,” said the brothers.

Led by brothers Rick and Marty Lagina, the show has opened the door to one of the greatest historical mysteries, achieving remarkable milestones from the very first episodes.

The Curse of Oak Island became a television phenomenon with millions of viewers tuning in each season.
The show quickly rose to the top of the most popular series on the History Channel.

Even so, the show does more than just spark curiosity.
It reignites a passion for discovery, evokes a sense of adventure, and raises stimulating questions about history.

Oak Island is no longer a distant legend but the focal point of a real investigation—with discoveries that have amazed the entire world.

Under the leadership of Rick and Marty Lagina, the research team has made significant strides in unraveling a centuries-old mystery.
Ancient coins from the 17th and 18th centuries have surfaced, confirming that humans were present on the island long before official records began.

A lead cross dating back to the Middle Ages was found, raising the theory that Oak Island might be linked to the Knights Templar, famous for allegedly hiding treasures worldwide.

However, perhaps the most shocking discovery was the complex system of underground tunnels—a sign that the island might have once been used to conceal something of immense importance.

“Samuel Ball was there in 1786.”
“So that was a long time ago and that was the name of the freed slave?”
“Yep, Samuel Ball. He was a farmer, I believe.”

Although the treasure has yet to be found, it cannot be denied that The Curse of Oak Island has made significant contributions to archaeology and history.

The research team has employed the most advanced technologies to explore the island—from geological scans, deep drilling, and metal detecting to 3D imaging—all helping them get closer to unraveling the secrets buried beneath the earth.

Each episode is not just a treasure hunt but a lesson in how science is used to decode things no one has been able to explain.

No one could have predicted that this adventure would stretch over a decade, with more than 10 seasons and over 180 episodes.
The show has become one of the longest-running treasure hunting reality TV series, and there’s no sign of it stopping.

With each passing season, the audience’s curiosity is heightened.
New theories constantly emerge, and Oak Island is increasingly becoming an iconic destination in the world of explorers.

There is an island in the North Atlantic where men have been looking for treasure for more than 200 years.

However, perhaps the greatest achievement of the show lies not just in its archaeological discoveries or record-breaking viewership but in the spirit it has ignited.

Thanks to The Curse of Oak Island, the community of history enthusiasts and treasure hunters has grown stronger.
Millions of people around the world follow each clue, debate theories, and continuously ask questions about what truly lies beneath this mysterious island.

And perhaps that alone is enough to make Rick and The Curse of Oak Island legend: The Unfinished Journey.

Regardless of facing countless losses, Rick never gave up.
He once said, “We’ve come too far to stop now.”

Those looking from the outside might wonder, why would a man spend decades of his life digging up an island, searching for a treasure that no one has proven to exist?

For many, this seems like a futile hunt—a far-fetched story blown out of proportion by the media.
“You know, he gets these crazy ideas and he drags me into it.
He wanted the north-south-east-west compass, and I’m thinking, ‘There’s one in the truck!’”

But for Rick Lagina, this journey has never just been about the treasure.
It’s about belief, passion, and a part of his soul.

Rick’s persistence has inspired not only those who accompany him on the island but also millions of viewers worldwide.

Thanks to Rick and Marty Lagina, the mystery of Oak Island is no longer a story buried in books, known only through old documents.
The Curse of Oak Island is not just a reality TV show; it has become a cultural phenomenon—a bridge between history and the present, captivating a new generation in the quest to uncover the unsolved mysteries.

This influence is so strong that many viewers couldn’t sit still.
Events with Rick and Marty attract hundreds of fans from around the world.
They come not just for autographs or photos but to share their own stories with Rick about how his journey inspired them to pursue their own dreams, even when it seems impossible to others.

Some have quit stable jobs to pursue archaeology.
Some have brought their children to Oak Island to ignite the spirit of exploration in the next generation.

“Two to three times its original appearance; it’s still not completely exposed, and to do it properly, you have to have a lot of patience.”

And many have even made the pilgrimage to the mysterious island themselves, eager to witness the place where Rick Lagina has spent half his life uncovering secrets.

For them, Rick Lagina is not just an explorer; he is a living testament to persistence and faith in things no one else dares to believe in.

Though the legendary treasure has not yet been revealed, Rick’s team has discovered countless important clues—all undeniable evidence that Oak Island hides something extraordinary.

The treasure may still be buried deep beneath the earth, beyond the reach of modern equipment.
Perhaps the mystery won’t be solved in this generation.

But one thing is certain: thanks to Rick Lagina, the world is closer than ever to the truth.

At 73, Rick hasn’t stopped.
You can still find him by the drill holes, patiently studying every piece of the historical puzzle.

Despite health struggles, in spite of criticism and skepticism, he still stands there on the very island that has haunted him for his entire life.
Still searching, still fighting as he did on the first day.

He doesn’t need anyone to acknowledge his efforts, nor does he